First Slot Purchase

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First Slot Purchase

Postby txx3ddq442 » Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:05 pm

Looking to buy my 1st slot and don't want to step in a pile of poop. I've located a restored Bursting Cherry - everything screams authenticity but I do have a few concerns that I'd like some help with:
1. The fact that this is a quarter machine with gold award. Should this in and of itself raise a red flag or have I just stumbled on something that is on the rare side?
2. The award card is printed on paper under a 'window', not embossed aluminum/steel? Was the rarity of gold award machines so low that Mills didn't set up embossing machines for such a small run? In other words would an authentic, original, unrestored have a paper printed award card like this?
3. The check detector lever/assembly has been removed - seller states that the check detector in the escalator is not needed (no disputing that) and removing it lessens the chance of service calls. I'm curious if this impacts future resale value. Would a collector not give this machine a 2nd look simply on the basis that there is no check detector?

I really don't have any marjor reservations for these items but I suppose I'm seeking the opinion of others who've seen it all.

Besides the above, it checks all the boxes: rear door, key/lock, anti-drill plates, wood patina, stamped serial on bonnet, etc. - it just looks and feels right.

IMG_7423.JPEG

IMG_7425.JPEG


Thanks in advance.
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Re: First Slot Purchase

Postby WS65711 » Tue Oct 08, 2019 4:50 am

That's the machine at Anthony's shop. I've only had dealings with him once, but as far as I know he's on the up-and-up. I only own one machine personally, and I'm not knowledgeable enough to answer your specific questions.
Are you in the area? Have you seen the machine in real life? I saw that one and the others he had a few months ago, but I wasn't in the market to buy another machine.
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Re: First Slot Purchase

Postby rtmccurdy » Tue Oct 08, 2019 5:05 am

I'm sure the experts will chime in on this particular restoration but personally I prefer a machine that is as original as possible. So, it should have a complete escalator, proper 4-sided Mills screws, original labels (if possible), and as complete a mechanism as possible (anti cheat parts, etc.) Check out the restored machines available from Bright's Slots, Cherry Restorations, Darwin's Slots, etc. and you will see some great examples at a similar price to the one you are considering.
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Re: First Slot Purchase

Postby WS65711 » Tue Oct 08, 2019 9:44 am

rtmccurdy wrote:I'm sure the experts will chime in on this particular restoration but personally I prefer a machine that is as original as possible. So, it should have a complete escalator, proper 4-sided Mills screws, original labels (if possible), and as complete a mechanism as possible (anti cheat parts, etc.) Check out the restored machines available from Bright's Slots, Cherry Restorations, Darwin's Slots, etc. and you will see some great examples at a similar price to the one you are considering.


(Just to satisfy my own curiosity) Is this machine missing those parts? And do we know what the price is? The OP didn't state the price in his post.
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Re: First Slot Purchase

Postby txx3ddq442 » Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:33 am

WS65711 wrote:(Just to satisfy my own curiosity) Is this machine missing those parts? And do we know what the price is? The OP didn't state the price in his post.


The price, I'd say, is aligned with machines in similar condition at Bright's - haven't checked pricing at the other two outfits mentioned. The 'check detector' parts have been removed / are missing. Not sure what anti-cheat mechanisms we're talking about but it does have drill-proof side plates & a keyed rear door. No anti-spoon device (if that's what it's called) on the payout tray but I think that varied by model and year. Please educate me on the "4-sided Mills screws."
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Re: First Slot Purchase

Postby WS65711 » Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:42 am

txx3ddq442 wrote:
WS65711 wrote:(Just to satisfy my own curiosity) Is this machine missing those parts? And do we know what the price is? The OP didn't state the price in his post.


The price, I'd say, is aligned with machines in similar condition at Bright's - haven't checked pricing at the other two outfits mentioned. The 'check detector' parts have been removed / are missing. Not sure what anti-cheat mechanisms we're talking about but it does have drill-proof side plates & a keyed rear door. No anti-spoon device (if that's what it's called) on the payout tray but I think that varied by model and year. Please educate me on the "4-sided Mills screws."


I don't know what the "4-sided Mills screws" are either. But there's a lot that I don't know.
txx.. are you local to the New Orleans area?
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Re: First Slot Purchase

Postby rtmccurdy » Tue Oct 08, 2019 2:42 pm

I probably shouldn't have chimed in because my philosophy (after 44 years in the antique business and 25+ years collecting/selling coin-op) is perhaps different from some. I do restore and repaint slots but prefer unrestored originals whenever possible. (Mills screws were square or square with a slight edge bevel).
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Re: First Slot Purchase

Postby oldslotman » Tue Oct 08, 2019 2:47 pm

rtmccurdy wrote:I probably shouldn't have chimed in because my philosophy (after 44 years in the antique business and 25+ years collecting/selling coin-op) is perhaps different from some. I do restore and repaint slots but prefer unrestored originals whenever possible. (Mills screws were square or square with a slight edge bevel).

I think he is referring to the square nuts on the cabinet bolts
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Re: First Slot Purchase

Postby WS65711 » Tue Oct 08, 2019 3:17 pm

rtmccurdy wrote:I probably shouldn't have chimed in because my philosophy (after 44 years in the antique business and 25+ years collecting/selling coin-op) is perhaps different from some. I do restore and repaint slots but prefer unrestored originals whenever possible. (Mills screws were square or square with a slight edge bevel).


The info you provided is helpful, so it's good that you chimed in. Should (more or less) every screw in this Mills (or any other) have a square head? I didn't know that, but I'll start paying more attention to the screws when it see other pictures of the Mills mechanisms.
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Re: First Slot Purchase

Postby atac » Tue Oct 08, 2019 4:15 pm

Here's my 2c: it looks pretty. Knowing Anthony, his prices are high IMO, but you didn't mention the price. Bursting cherry's are pretty common and worth $800 low side and $1800ish full retail. 25c machines are worth more than 5c or 10c. I would want to know this is a legit 25c machine and not converted. The easiest giveaway is whether the slide posts are riveted/peened compared to screwed with a nut on the bottom. Gold award is less common on bursting cherry's, so that's a plus. The check separation stuff doesn't add or detract value IMO, particularly on a restored common machine. It would matter more on an uncommon unrestored machine. The escalator is definitely stripped down--but he's right it cuts down on service/jams. Price, function and appearance are the most important things. The square nut thing is easy to remedy, so I wouldn't put much on it other than to judge if the machine if legit--once restored it really doesn't matter and if you wanted to improve it you can buy those square "shear" nuts -- a dozen for a few bucks fixes the whole machine.
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